Photographic camera



Au'g. 2, 1938.` A. s. HOWELL 2,125,567

- PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA Filed Jan. 5, 1937 I 2 sheets-Sheet- 1 g Fig. 1 ,y

. .27 a ezy 5 322;

A N f m@ 1 ff y 2z f2 92/22 INVENTDR ALBERT E; HUWELI.

'ATTY Aug.A 2, 1938. A. s. HowE'LL 2,125,567-

` PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA Filed Jan. 5, 19:57 L 2 sheets-sheet' 2 Erw ALBERT5. HUWELL *2"'36 AATTY.

Patented Aug'. 2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT PHOTGGRAPHIC OALIEBA Alberts. Howell, chicago, nl., minor tol'rhe Bell & Howell Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation oflllinois Application January 5,

' 8 Claims.

My invention relates particularly to motion picture cameras although notlimited to this use alone and concerns photographic cameras wherein thecamera body, in which the sensitized photo- 6 graphic element or lm iscarried,'is shiftable relative to the photographic lens 'to permitview-.-

ing through the photographic lens for purposes of accurately focusingthe photographic lens and placing the camera;

The general object of myv invention resides in the provision of anovelphotographic camera of this type winch .provides for accurate andconvenient relative shifting of the camera body, which is` not subjectto derangement, and which 1B is well adapted to withstand the usualconditions of usage.

With this object in view my invention consists in certain featuresofnovelty in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts by which the said object'andcertainother objectsVhereinafter appearing, are eiected, allk as fullydescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings and morepanticularly pointed out in the appended claims. Y f v i In the saiddrawings- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a motion picture- Figure 7 is apartial section substantially on 40 the line 1-1 of Figurefi;

Figure 8 is a partial section substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;i

p Figure 9 is a partialv section substantially on':

the line 9 9 of Figure 6; and

Figure 10 is a partial section substantially on the line i0|0 of Figure'8. l

Referring tothe drawings, I designates a hase` portionwhich is normallysupported in a genere ally horizontal plane and 2 designates aphotographic lens carrying portion iixedly secured on said base'portionand extending upwardly from the front end ofsaid base portion. andforming therewith a photographic lens carrying member', the lenscarrying portion providing a rearwardly 55- facing surface 3,-and aphotographic lens l being 1937, semi No. 119,103- (C1. xls- 16) mountedon the portion l2:.1afndlv dispose on'farrl axis generally normal tothe-plane ,lof'th sur -face 3. See Figures 1 to 4 inclusive.;r' A camerabody 5 is arrangedirearwardlyiof. the lens carrying portion 2 in theaangle-iformed;v tig by the portions I and 2 of thelensfcarryingzmeinern ber, 4and provides a forwardlyafacingisurface'ftil which is engageable with the rearwardlyifacing 3 e of thelens` carryingportion 2id"iisfisiiusllalzzthe.A camera body 5 is adaptedto carry affllretiiereir and contains a suitable exposure means includingan exposure aperture, meansffor;litermitm tently feeding the nlmpa'stthe exposurefaperlture and a light shutter operating intimedarela-L' tion with the feeding meansJfo'r--'exposingfa'` successivesections or frames'v ofl thejlm', theafore=a said exposure means notbeingillustrated'lforf-thei reason vthat it is so Wellknown linv the artThe camera'body 5 is mfounted'ontheffbasei 20 portion I for shiftingmovementlrelativefto*thef lens carrying member bythe -novelflmountin'gimeans now to be describedf/SeeFi'gures `,`2f= and 5. ,1 Y As shown, theaforesaid mountingnieans icon-f` sists of three correspondingly disposedcooperatli ing arcualmounting devices, generally designated A at 1,spaced in triangular relation and affording` arcual bodily shiftingofthe camera 'body'relative to the lens carryingmembentwof imountingdevices being arranged ad lens carrying portion 2 andfspa'ced'tr' y of the camera in parallelism*withtheisrfaceit and the third ofthese mounting'devicesvbeing spacedv rearwardly from theaiorsaid `tivomount mg devices 4 Each of the mounting devi esf'consistsia' i'o lows:

sitely from the body oi the `pivot 'armi-f Thefs'tu'd! extendsdownwardly into 'a' verticali yborem2Min the base portionl and ispivotallysupported'xverff; tically therein'A by vertically'spaced`radiali/and thrust anti-friction bearings i3gand 1H-k -See parfticularly Figure 5. .z' 1 The upper bearing i3 forms ,adownwar bearingfor the pivot armfbygreasonfof der-ll on the pivot arm bearingd againstthe inner race o f he beari shoulder i6 in the borevqi A against theouter rjace'olfthe bearing L`I ing washer ii of felt .onlikegaterialposed between the pivot a" i bearing lI3 to exc1ude., `d'ust bearings Iland il."

'Ihe outer race of the bearing il isclamped upwardly against adownwardly facing shoulder Il in the bore i2 by a clamp ring IIscrewthreaded into the lower end of the bore i2, and a headed screw 2lis screwthreaded into the lower end of the stud l and bears upwardlyagainst a collar 22 on the stud l, which collar in turn bears upwardlyagainst the inner race of the bearing il, whereby the bearing i4 formsan upward thrust bearing for the pivot arm l.

The camera body I is provided with a base plate 2l which is flxedlysecured therewith, as designad at 2l. The stud il of the pivot arm lextends upwardly into a vertical bore 2l in the base plate 2l and ispivotally supported vertically therein by a radial and thrustanti-friction bearing 2l. A headed screw 21 is screwthreaded into theupper end of the stud Il and, bearing downwardly on theinner race of thebearing 2l, clamps this inner race downwardly against a collar 28 whichin turn bears downwardly against an upwardly facing shoulder 2l on thepivot arm l, thus axially fixing the bearing 2i on the stud Il. Asealing washer Ii of telt or like material is interposed between thepivot arm 8 and the bottom surface of the base plate 2l to exclude dustand dirt from the bearing 20. I

The outer race of the bearing 2t is clamped downwardly against anupwardly facing shoulder I2 in the bore 2l by a clamp cap Ilscrewthreaded into the upper end of the bore 2l. whereby the bearing 20forms an upward and downward thrust bearing for the camera body withreference to the pivot arm I.

As shown, each of the aforesaid `arcual mounting devices are identicaland are correspondingly arranged so that the camera body l ispredeterminately shiftable with reference to the photographic lenscarrying member, in an arcuate path extending in the horizontal axialplane of the photographic lens l both transversely of the axis of thephotographic lens and longitudinally of the lens axis, the camera bodybeing maintained in a predetermined relation with the lens carryingmember in the `plane oi said shifting movement, said shifting movementinvolving an arc 'Ihe surfaces l and i are engaged at both terminalpositions of the camera body B relative to the lens carrying member, andin one oi these terminal positions the exposure aperture of the camerabody is alined with the photographic lens 4 tor the exposure of the nlmin the camera body through the lens, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, and inthe other of these terminal positions, as shown in Figure 2. theexposure aperture of the camera body is laterally displaced from thephotcgi'aphic lens for viewing therethrough as through a suitableviewing device I4 fixed on one side oi' the camera body for viewingthrough the camera lens for accurately iocusingthe photographic lens andplacing the camera, the exposure aperture of the camera body and theviewing device alternating in their alinement with the photographic lenswith positioning of the camera body in its opposite terminal positions.

The novel mounting means for the camera body described hereinaboveaifords an accurate and desirably convenient and smooth shiftingmovement of the camera body, is not subject to derangement and is welladapted to withstand the usual conditions o! usage.

Secured on the rear wall of the camera body I, is a casing 3l, and arearwardly and forwardly extending shaft I6 is pivotally mounted in anextended bore l1 through the rear wail ot the calingli. SeeFigurestolO.

A spring device Il acts'on a radial arm 3l fixed on the shaft 3 andyieldably urges this arm against a shoulder 4i of the casing 3l toeffect a normal angular positioning of the shaft 3l. An exterior handleI2 is secured on the rear end of the' shaft It and, being disposed atthe rear o! the camera body i, `se as a convenient handle for shiftingthe camera body.

A vertically disposed bushing Il is fixed on the rear portion of thebase plate 2l, and a latch stud I4 is slidably engaged in this bushingfor vertical movement, the stud Il being angularly fixed by means of aradial pin l! thereon slidably engaging a vertical slot in the bushing4l.

A rocker arm 41 is pivotally mounted on the inner end of the shaft 36within the casing Il, and one end of this arm engages a transverse slotIl on the upper portion of the latch stud M for vertically actuating thelatch stud. 'Ihe other `end of arm 41 is provided with a rearwardlyprojecting terminal portion Il which underlies a radial arm il ilxed onthe shaft 3|, for engagement therewith to the end that pivotal movementof the shaft 36 by means of the handle I2 in opposition to the springdevice Il serves to elevate the latch stud Il into unlatching position.V

A spring device 52 acts on a radial arm Il of the rocker arm Il andserves to urge this rocker arm in the direction to position the latchstud I4 in its lower or latching position, movement of the rocker arm inthis direction being limited by engagement of the arm il against theshoulder li.

A transversely extending latch plate N and a rearwardly extendingbracket $5 are secured by means of screws 56 on the rear end o! the baseplate 23, and the latch stud Il is adapted to be engaged in front of thelatch plate in the terminal positions of the camera body 5 to latch thesame in such positions, the surfaces I and l of the lens carryingportion 2 and of the camera body being engaged in such terminalpositions.

To provide for spring latching of the latch stud Il, the upper edge ofthe latch plate il is slanted at the engagement points of the latch studM therewith, as designated at 51, and the lower end of the latch stud iscorrespondingly slanted, as designated at i8.

By reason of the engagement of the radial arm BI of the shaft 36 withthe portion I9 of the rocker arm 41, the conveniently rearwardlydisposed handle 42, mounted on the camera body, serves by being graspedby a hand of the operator both to release the latch means, which latchesthe camera body in the terminalpositions of the camera body, and as aconvenient handle for shifting the camera body to its opposite terminalpositions.

The bracket Il is disposed beneath the handle 42 in contiguous relation.therewith and, extending rearwardly from the latch plate Il and the ingfrom the spirit of my invention, but having 7s thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent thefollowingc' 1. In a photographic camera the combination with aphotographic lens carrying member comprising a base portion and aforwardly disposed lens carrying portion extending upwardly from saidbase portion and providing a rearwardly facing surface, and a camerabody overlying said base portion and arranged rearwardly of said lenscarrying portion and providing a forwardly facing surface engageablewith said rearwardly facing surface, of a plurality of correspondinglydisposed and spaced cooperating pivot arm devices operative between saidbase portion and said camera body and each of which is pivotallyconnected with said base portion and said camera body on spaced parallelaxes disposed normal to an axial plane of said lens, said devicesaffording arcual bodily shifting of said camera body relative to saidlens carrying member in said plane, said surfaces engaging in at leastone terminal position of said camera body.

2. In a photographic camera the combination with a photographic lenscarrying member and a cooperating camera body, of means affording bodilyshifting movement of said camera body relative to said lens carryingmember, releasable latch means operative between said lens carryingmember and said camera body adapted to latch said camera body in atleast one position of its shifting movement, and a handle movablymounted on said camera body and operatively connected with said latchmeans to release the same and serving as a handle for shifting saidcamera body.

3. In a photographic camera the combination with a photographic lenscarrying member and a cooperating camera body, of means affording bodilyshifting movement of said camera body relative to said lens carryingmember, and contiguous elements on said lens carrying member and saidcamera body comprising a handle and a formation adapted to be engaged bythe thumb of a persons hand while such hand grasps said handle foreffecting shifting movement of said camera body. I

4. In a photographic camera the combination with a photographic lenscarrying member and a cooperating camera body, of means affording bodilyshifting movement of said camera body relative to said lens carryingmember, releasable latch means operative between said lens carryingmember and said camera body adapted to latch said camera body in atleast one position of its shifting movement, and contiguous elements onsaid lens carrying member and said camera body comprising a handle and aformatlon adapted to be engaged by the thumb of a person's hand whilesuch hand grasps said handle for effecting shifting movement of saidcamera body, said handle being movably mounted and operably connectedwith said latch means to release the same.

5. In a photographic camera the combination lwith a photographic lenscarrying member and a cooperating camera body, of means affording bodilyshifting of said camera body relative to said lens carrying member bothtransversely and longitudinally ofthe axis of said lens and includingmeans for maintaining said camera body in a predetermined relation withsaid lens carrying member in the plane of said shifting movement,releasable latch means operative between said lens carrying member andsaid camera body to latch said camera body in at least one position ofits shifting movement, and a handle movably mounted on said camera bodyand operatively connected with said latch means to release the same andserving as a handle for shifting said camera body.

6. In a photographic camera the combination with a photographic lenscarrying member and a cooperating camera body, of at least threecorrespondingly disposed cooper-ating pivot arm devices spaced intriangular relation and each of which is pivotally connected with saidlens carrying member and said camera body on spaced parallel axesdisposed normal to an axial plane of said lens, said devices cooperatingto afford bodily shifting movement of said camera` body relative to saidlens carrying member in said plane, releasable l-atch means operativebetween said lens carrying member and said camera body to latch saidcamera body in the terminal positions of its said movement, and a handlemovably mounted on the rear portion of said camera body and operativelyconnected with said latch means to release the same and serving as ahandle for shifting said camera body.

7. In a photographic camera the combination with a photographic lenscarrying member cornprising a base portion and a forwardly disposed lenscarrying portion extending upwardly from said base portion, and a camerabody overlying said base portion rearwardly of said lens carryingportion, a plurality of correspondingly disposed spaced cooperatingmounting devices between said camera body and said base portionaffording arcual bodily shifting of said camera b ody relative to saidlens carrying member, releasable latch means operativev between saidcamera body and said base portion for latching said camera body in theterminal positions of its said movement, and a handle pivotally mountedon said camera body and disposed at the rear thereof andoperativelyconnected with said latching means for releasing the same andserving as a handle for shiftingsaid camera body.

'8. In a photographic camera the combination with a photographic lenscarrying `member comprising a base portion and a forwardly disposed lenscarrying portion extending upwardly from said base portion and providinga rearwardly facing surface, and a camera body overlying said baseportion rearwardly of said lens carrying portion and providing aforwardly facing surface engageable with said rearwardly facing surface,of a plurality of correspondingly disposed and spaced cooperating pivotarm devices operative between said base portion and said camera body andeach of which is pivotally connected with',

operative between said camera body and said base portion to latch saidcamera body in the terminal positions thereof, a handle pivotallymounted on said camera body and disposed at therear thereof andoperatively connected with said latching means for releasing the sameand serving as a handle for shifting said camera body, and a formationon. the rear of said base portion and contiguous to said handle to beengaged by the thumb of a persons hand while such hand grasps saidhandle.

ALBERT S. HOWELL.

